Biography

Ross Fisher was born in Ascot, Berkshire. As a youngster his home course is the famous Wentworth Golf Club and it came as little surprise to many when he turned professional in 2004. Fisher joined the European Tour in 2006 via Qualifying School and had immediate success with a joint fourth finish in the Volvo China Open. He even won a Jaguar car for nearest the pin at the British Masters that year. Ross first tasted victory at the 2007 KLM Open and then again at the 2008 European Open at the London Golf Club. In 2009, Fisher continued in the same vain. He secured no fewer than seven global top-10s, which included his biggest victory to date, a win at the Volvo World Match Play in October. This cemented Fishers place inside the worlds top-20, and also 4th position in the final 2009 Race to Dubai rankings. Although unsuccessful in last years Major season, Ross shot the lowest aggregate score of all competitors for 16 rounds in the majors, proving his calibre at the games biggest stage. Watch out for “Fish” in St. Andrews.

What’s In Bag 2010 Ross Fisher

at the BMW PGA Championship

Fisher Shorts

Fisher Price

The birth of Ross’s daughter Eve was one the biggest stories of 2009. With his wife Jo heavily pregnant and Ross in contention the British Open at Turnberry, he vowed to forego the chance of winning his first major and a cheque for £750,000 if she went into labour during the event. Having lead with 16 holes to go Ross eventually finished 13th proving lucky for some as Eve was born 10 days late at a St Helier hospital.

Winner Alright: Last week we tipped Ben Crane who tied third at Colonial. A €10 each way bet wins €112.50

Geoff Ogilvy 35/1

Geoff has had a stinker of a year since his SBS Championship victory at Kapalua back in January. In fact last week was his first top 20 in nine attempts since. However his Sunday 64 have those inside the ropes gossiping that Geoff could have discovered the secret for this week. It’s a putting contest at Jack’s place and when it comes to mastery of the blade Ogilvy is one of the best. He has finished in the top 10 in the past three years and his third round 63 last year is regarded as among the best ever rounds at Memorial.

KJ Choi 40/1

What a guy. If you ever need a pro to show you how to maintain balance throughout the swing, look no further than Kenneth Joseph Choi. KJ absolutely loves Jack’s place, it has been the equivalent of his personal ATM for years. Second in Malaysia and the transitions and fourth at The Masters, KJ has achieved the remarkable statistic of not finishing over par in 13 consecutive events on the PGA and European tours. A horrible eight on the last on Saturday last week (whilst still shooting 66) belied his excellent form. Winner of the Memorial in 2007 and more top-10’s in Muirfield than U2.

Jim Furyk 30/1

You just wonder is a little niggle beginning to enter Jim Furyk’s head when it comes to big events. A two time winner already this season at the Transitions and Verizon Heritage; Jim has been like the UK in the Eurovision when it comes to the big events. Having missed the cut last week and at the Masters and barely passed as a player at The Players, the bookies reckon Furyk may have shot his bolt. Second last year to Tiger, Jim might just be worth that shopping trolley coin you keep in your car.

Kenny Perry 55/1

The Ingido Girls may have sung “Don’t Give Up On Me Baby” and with two months left until his 50th birthday, keep an eye on Kenny Perry again this week. He is the Memorial Godfather having won this event in 1991, 2003 and 2008. Perry’s putter went cold at Colonial last week but his second round 64 gives one hope that there is still life in the old dawg yet.

Adam Scott 40/1

All the talk is sure to be on Tiger Woods this week. A four time winner at Memorial, his approach to the 18th last year was among the best shots I’ve ever seen. But spare a thought for his so called swing doppelganger Adam Scott, who returned to winning ways at the Valero Texas Open two weeks back. Scott may not have the Memorial pedigree of others, but his 2007 second round of 62 proved that on his day he has the artillery that might just do damage at Jack’s place.

Wasn’t the recent BMW Championship great? Despite the anticlimactic ending, the event had everything. A brilliant course, top class field, Peter Alliss with his one liners and one of the nicest guys on tour, Simon Khan deservedly taking the spoils. It took a prize fund of €4.5 million to attract the “Europeans” to the field, but I couldn’t help like feeling that it was like being at a disco where they played the big final anthemic floor filler first.

The Celtic Manor Wales Open takes place this week and what a pity the field from Wentworth could not be retained for this event, a mere two weeks later. Of the European Team “certs”, only Luke Donald stuck around to appear in Wales, the Golfing Gods rewarding him with his victory in Madrid. The very first name on the entry list for Celtic Manor is Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie and he must surely be disheartened that the vast majority of the probable European line-up are choosing to give it a miss. I bet Monty had grand plans for this week, a real advantageous Ryder Cup warm-up where so many pressing team questions would be answered. Instead the only question Monty is left with is “why won’t anyone come and play with me”.

One look at the European Tour website provides the answer. Money, or as the caddies call it “Cha-Ching” is God. The pot this week is €1.8 million and drops to a mere (in pro golf terms) €1 million in Estoril and a derisory €600,000 in St Omer which has the unfortunate slot of sharing US Open weekend. Such much for the line being spun last year that the top pros would support their tours now more than ever in these choppy waters.

I heard the commentators say at Wentworth, “This is where the European Tour season takes off”. Little did I realize that by “take off” they meant all the best players boarding a learjet to the US Tour. A word to the European Tour bosses; lads when ye are scheduling the events next year, take DJ SpinDoctor’s advice: If you’re going to fill the dance floor, then you have to keep them dancing.

S Posture is a swing fault caused by a golfer creating an excessive arch in their lower back by sticking their tail bone out too much in the set up position. S Posture is the number one cause of lower back pain among golfers as it can lead to swing faults such as loss of posture and reverse spine angle.

Cause

S Posture can be caused by lack of abdominal strength or relaxing the abdominal muscles. The excessive curvature in the lower back puts a lot of stress on the muscles in the lower back and causes the abdominal muscles to relax. Other faults associated with S posture are tight hip flexors and weakness in the glutes. Sometimes a golfer does not know how to bend correctly from the hips to set up to the golf ball so getting this checked is important.

Exercise

To strengthen the abdominal muscles try the stick reverse crunch’s exercise. Raise a pole or club shaft above you while lying on your back bend the knees up and try to bring your feet underneath the club shaft. Try 3 reps of 10 and feel your abdominals strengthen.

Keep it under your hat but the word from The Tour is that Titleist are launching a new driver towards the end of this year. There are a few out on test on Tour and it is called the 910. The D2 version is designed for low handicap players and the D3 is for the average player. The 910 will have an adjustable hosel which will allow the golfer to open and close the face. Both are also set to feature Titleist's new fitting adapter called "SureFit" allowing the golfer to use interchangeable shafts which help the player find the optimal shaft for his or her game. This new driver will hit the shelves by December this year.

LPGA bosses faces are getting ever redder and it has nothing to with L’oreal. With another week on the world’s top ladies tour over, only one “home” player, namely Michelle Wie, has won in over a year. Asian players have won seven of the eight events staged this year with Japan’s Ai Miyazato claiming three. Only Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist has spoiled the party. Such is the sea shift in ladies golf that Korean ladies now occupy 33 of the top 100 rankings.

Tiger Woods has now confirmed he is to tee it up along Seve Ballesteros in the special Open Champions’ Challenge on the eve of this years British Open. The list of winners now confirmed spans 50 years, from Peter Thomson of Australia (pictured) who won in 1954 right up to last year’s Champion Stewart Cink. A total of 28 former champions will play, although Jack Nicklaus is a notable absentee. One wonders whether Jack, having already had his Swilken Bridge farewell, is keen to leave the stage clear for Seve. Seven teams of four Open Champions will compete for a prize of £50,000, which will be donated to a charity of the winning team’s choice.

Jolly well done man. Shall we retire to the drawing room for cigars and brandy? Spiffing.

It was a case of steady as she goes for Tom Lehman, who emerged victorious from a playoff with Fred Couples and David Frost to claim his first senior major title in Colorado. Lehman only had to par the first extra hole as his two challengers took double bogey.

Luke Donald proved that good things do come to those who wait, by claiming his first win since 2006 at the Madrid Masters. A week after imploding at the death in the BMW Championship, Donald produced a stunning eagle on 16 to see off Rhys Davies.

Jay Don Blake shares the lead with Tom Lehman going into the final of the Seniors PGA Championship in Colorado. Hot in pursuit however are a group including former major winners Mark O’Meara and Freddie Couples. Journeyman Blake who won only won main tour event back in 1991, battled his emotions and the wind to remain in contention going into the final round.

The European Tour have brought forward the tee times for todays third round of the Madrid Masters in order to be all finished in time for tonight’s Eurovision Song Contest. Its a well known fact that European Tour golfers are huge Eurovision fans, often using winning songs to practice rhythm on the range. Stephen Dodd even represented the UK back in 1975. Gonzalo Castano said “Spain might not be there tonight, but I’m excited. That bird from Azerbaijan is gettin’ my vote.” Luke Donald, himself a talented artist, is obviously taken with the Romanian entry as he was heard singing “You and me, cant you see, playin’ with fire” as he walked down the third fairway in Madrid yesterday. Pic: Castano Favours Azerbaijan

TJ Auclair from PGA.com reports on the first Senior Major of the Year.

The leaderboard after 36 holes at Colorado Golf Club and the 71st Senior PGA Championship reads like a who’s-who of major champions. The names Couples, Kite, Langer, Lehman and Price are all sprinkled among the top 10. Fred Couples, however, is all alone at the top. The Champions Tour rookie, who has already racked up a remarkable three wins in just six starts, carded a 4-under 68 in the second round on Friday, despite a bogey on the last hole due to a wayward tee shot that resulted in a penalty stroke for an unplayable lie. That, along with his 3-under 69 in the opening round, has Couples at 7-under 137 for the tournament, one shot clear of Tom Kite and two ahead of Tom Lehman. “I'm happy to be in first place,” Couples said. “I played great today. I had a lot of birdies and a couple bogeys, three bogeys in there. But putted very well… I'm 7 under, one ahead of Tom, and maybe, I don't know what third place is, 5 under? So I'm not really worried about a lead, I'm just wanting to go out tomorrow and keep playing well and see what happens and then worry about a lead on Sunday on the back nine. If I have one.”

Round 2 Highlights, 2010 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

Kids never forget their first set of clubs, mine were “John Letters”. Now nearly 40 years after signing his first professional contract with John Letters of Scotland, Ryder Cup legend and Seniors Tour star Sam Torrance has rejoined the Scottish equipment brand in the lead up to the 2010 Irish Seniors Open at Carton House from June 11-13th.

A delighted Torrance commented: “It’s lovely; I’m back to my roots. The first contract I ever had was with John Letters and I signed that at the end of 1971.”

John Andrew, Managing Director of John Letters of Scotland Ltd, said: "We are delighted to add Sam to our playing staff. With both our roots in Scotland, Sam provides the perfect fit with the Letters brand.”

Be sure to check out the Handa Irish Seniors Open at Carton House in Maynooth from June 11-13th.

An Irish amateur golfer called Tiger Spuds recently got a divorce and wanted to get married again. So dreadfully hurt by the local paper’s handling of his first marriage, he was very keen to be extra careful in choosing his new wife. He narrowed it down to three likely candidates. He gives each woman a present of €5,000 and waited to see what they do with the money. The first does a total makeover. She goes to a fancy beauty salon, gets her hair done, new makeup; buys several new outfits, a few nips and tucks and dresses up very nicely for Mr Spuds. She tells him that she has done this to be more attractive for him because she loves him so much. He was impressed.

Pic: Irish Amateur Tiger SpudsThe second goes shopping to buy Tiger Spuds gifts. She gets him a new set of Nike golf clubs (he likes those), some new gizmos for his computer, and some expensive clothes. As she presents these gifts, she tells him that she has spent all the money on him because she loves him so much. Again, he was impressed. The third invests the money in the stock market. She earns several times the £5,000. She gives him back his £5,000 and reinvests the remainder in a joint account. She tells him that she wants to save for their future because she loves him so much. Obviously, young Master Spuds was impressed. Tiger Spuds thought for a long time about what each woman had done with the money he'd given her. Then he married the one with the biggest boobs. Is it just Leopards that dont change their spots?

Now I’m no technical expert but I think Rory’s wedge was a wee bit whippy at Wentworth. It could be that he stuck his Mam’s clubs in the boot on Sunday by accident, but we cant be sure. Rors looks like he could represent Ireland (or Team GB - very PC of me-) in the pole vault at the 2012 Olympics if he doesn’t make the golf team. Here he is pictured breaking the Irish Pole Vault record which has stood since 1863.

Charley Hoffman and Bubba Watson narrowly missed on a British Open spot at final qualifying in Texas. In form Tim Petrovic shot 11-under to win the Qualifying event for The 139th Open Championship held at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas.

Bo Van Pelt and D.A. Points finished behind Petrovic and also claimed Open spots. The other five players that qualified include Scotland’s own Martin Laird, Tom Pernice Jr. Glen Day, George McNeill and Cameron Percy.

Percy birdied the third extra hole to edge out Bubba Watson and Charley Hoffman for the last qualifying spot.

One day after Wentworth glory, PGA champion Simon Khan lost out in a six-man play-off for next month's US Open at Pebble Beach.

Ireland’s Gareth Maybin will be teeing it up at Pebble after he claimed one of the automatic qualifying spots. England's James Morrison won the event by two strokes from Argentina's Rafa Echenique. Welshman Rhys Davies, Gary Boyd and Cabrera-Bello also qualified.

Winner Alright: Last week tipped Luke Donald who tied second at the PGA Championship at odds of 28/1. A €10 each way bet wins €80.

Paul Casey 25/1

Paul Casey’s season, though injury hit, has been far from disappointing. The Englishman now based in the States crosses the Atlantic after his trip to Wentworth, having achieved five top-10’s this season. Aside from his final loss to Poulter in the WGC Matchplay, Casey has come close at the Honda Classic and the CA Championship and seems primed for his first win of the season in the coming weeks. Shot four rounds in the 60’s last year on his way to tying fifth, just two shots off the pace. He didn’t fancy Wentworth from the outset but watch out for Casey this week.

Ben Crane 45/1

It has been an excellent season so far for Texas resident Ben Crane. The winner of the Farmer’s Insurance open early in the season is extremely consistent finishing in the top-25 in five of his last six events. Indeed by closing with a blistering 66 at the Byron Nelson, Crane leapfrogged 22 players to tie seventh for his second consecutive top-10 after his tied fourth at the Players Championship. He has also come close at Colonial in the past, finishing in the top five in 2008 and 2006. A win this week would virtually seal Crazy Legs his Ryder Cup berth.

Tim Clark 25/1

The Players Champion has unfinished business at Fort Worth this week. He was positively robbed of victory in this event last year. During regulation play Steve Stricker chipped in from 50 feet for birdie on 17 to post a score, then Clark, needing par on the last for victory, took bogey. Worse was to come on the second playoff hole when, having watched Stricker hit in to three feet for birdie, Clark suffered cruel fate as he watched his ownapproach hit the flagstick and spin back out of range, thus handing Stricker victory. Clark also tied second in 2008 when Phil Mickelson won.

Steve Marino 60/1

Steve Marino returns to the PGA Tour this week having finished in the top-16 in four of his last six events. Renowned as excellent around the greens, Marino lead the scrambling stats at Colonial last year. A stunning third round 62, saw him tear through the field and he ended up also making the three man playoff only to also lose out to Steve Stricker. Certainly a good each way bet on a week where we expect the winner to be double figures under par.

Kenny Perry 50/1

In the mix for the first time in a while last week was one of my favourite players, Kenny Perry. It’s almost a year since his last victory at the Travelers Championship, but with three in 2008 and two last year, the question is can Perry savour victory one more time before he hits 50 on August 10th ? With four of his last five wins coming in June and July, keep an eye on Perry over the next few weeks, starting at Colonial where he won in 2005 and 2003.

There’s have been several incarnations of Adam Scott’s what’s in the bag since his win at the Valero Texas Open 2010 but here’s the definitive one with thanks to Rick Veitch at Titleist in Fairhaven.

Adam Scott Player Profile

Full name Adam Derek Scott

Born 16 July 1980 (age 29) Adelaide, Australia

Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)

Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st)

Residence Crans-Montana, Switzerland

College University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Turned professional 2000

Professional wins 17

Biography

Adam Scott re-emerged on the World golfing radar when he took the spoils at the Valero Texas Open. He rallied from four strokes back on the final day for his first PGA Tour victory in two years. The Aussie was 11-under in a 36-hole Sunday finale, edging Fredrik Jacobson by a stroke on the new Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio. The course was designed by Scott's hero, fellow countrymen Greg Norman, who sent a congratulatory message after his first win since the Australian Open in December.

Scott was born in Adelaide, Australia. After attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, his playing career took off in 2001, his first full year as a professional golfer, when he won the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg, South Africa. Over the following years Scott continued to ply his trade on the European Tour picking up wins which included the Qatar Masters, the Scottish PGA Championship and the Scandinavian Masters. He then took up a PGA Tour card in 2003 and enjoyed three victories in his first 12 months including The 2004 Players Championship. Early in 2005 Scott reached the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time. Though tipped by many to rival Tiger Woods for Major glory, Scott never quite achieved the expected levels of success. His form dipped in 2009 as dropped out of the top 50 in the world rankings and the top 100 of the PGA Tour money list.

Scott’s Valero Texas Open win was his first trip to San Antonio, a landscape that instantly reminded him of his homeland. After the win he said, “Greg Norman designed the course and when I first played it early that week I felt like the landscape looked very similar to Australia and I had a feeling that an Aussie would do well. I'm just very happy that Aussie was me! I hope to carry the momentum to The Memorial which will be my next tournament.”

What’s In The Bag 2010 Adam Scott

at the Velero Texas Open

Scott Shorts

Advantage Ana

Off the course Adam Scott is famed for his playboy looks and his relationships regularly take up gossip column inches. After splitting from a long term girlfriend Marie Kojzar in 2008, Scott briefly dated actress Kate Hudson, and is presently in a relationship with Serbian tennis star Ana Ivanovic.

Jet Setter

Last year Scott purchased of a $75 million long-range luxury Gulfstream G450 business jet. He could have picked up a cheaper second-hand plane. But an endorsement deal with Gulfstream will help offset some of his expenses. He estimates the end cost to him will be around $1.5 million a year. Scott helps pay for the jet by making promotional appearances and commercials for the company. His Gulfstream endorsement package is in addition to deals with Rolex, Burberry. Titleist, Footjoy and EA Sports, all of which add about $10 million to his annual income.

Poor lower body stability can cause swing faults such as Sway and Slide. These swing characteristics are when the lower body has too much lateral movement during the backswing and downswing. The ability to stabilize the lower body is critical for creating power in the golf swing.

Theory

The ability to separate the upper body from the lower body allows the lower body to stabilize while rotating during a large shoulder turn. If the spine has limited mobility it will be difficult to achieve the necessary thorax (chest) to pelvis separation.

Exercise

An exercise to build greater stability in the lower body while developing more flexibility between your upper and lower body is horizontal chop wide base. Attach stretch tubing to a door handle and sit on a Swiss ball holding the handle of the tubing with both hands. Widen your feet past the hips and then rotate your trunk and arms back and forth. The Swiss ball will force you to stabilize the lower body.

I’m still reeling in shock after the PGA Tour swooped to block my own Rory McIlory YouTube video, claiming breach of copyright. Here’s the story

Blogging is great fun. It gives the ordinary man a virtual soap box to write about whatever he wants. Google, the all powerful search engine, give bloggers every chance to climb up the search engine rankings so they may enjoy the same popularity as the major websites. I started blogging on golf about two years ago and my site www.golfcentraldaily.com has consistently grown in popularity; it has brought the SpinDoctor to a worldwide audience and for that I am thankful.

One of the key components that has made golfcentraldaily so popular was a stroke of luck I had at the London Club in Kent two years ago. Exhausted after a day compiling “What’s in the Bag” pieces on the range, I was about to pack up when who walks up, only Rory McIlroy. We have a little chat and Rory agrees to do a “what’s in the bag” and allows us to make a video of him swinging on the range. Delighted with myself, I stuck the clip on youtube with a little banner for golfcentraldaily. The day after Rory won in Quail Hollow the video received 15,000 views bringing the total to 215,000. For a golfing video, that is a big number, far in excess of the views the PGA Tour receive for the majority or their swing vision videos.

Imagine my surprise then when, last week, my pride and joy Rory video was removed by YouTube (aka Google) following a “breach of copyright” complaint. When I investigated I found the complainant to be none other than the “PGA Tour”. Were a huge corporation like the PGA Tour that jealous of my viewership that they felt the need to have my simple camcorder video clip removed? Furthermore, how can they lay claim to a video I made and clearly appear in with Rory McIlory? I know Rory has committed to playing on the PGA Tour but I don’t ever remember hearing that he sold his soul to them. Here’s the video which still opens on the site. Click to view

I have of course lodged my appeal comprising of a banal online form but fear its destination will most likely be the trash box of google’s e mail account. Whatever the outcome it worries me that the Big Brother of golf, the PGA Tour, need only click their fingers to inflict nuclear damage to a blogger in this most devious way. They may have won the battle but this set to be a long and bloggy war.

This week our prize is a cracking fourball at Doonbeg, Co. Clare. The good folks in Doonbeg are running a brilliant promotion of lunch with a round of golf for €90. Full details on www.doonbeggolfclub.com. If you’ve never had the pleasure of the total Doonbeg experience, now is the time. Head pro Brian Shaw reports excellent course conditions and lightning fast greens. To win text your answer with name and address to 087-2029040 or e-mail to examinerspindoc@eircom.net no later than Friday noon.

The only connection a golfer has with the club is through the grip. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of control a tacky grip provides, yet this critical club component is so often overlooked by the club golfer. On the tour truck we are finding the new Golf Pride Tour Wrap 2G grip is very popular. This remake of the original “leather-look” wrap grip is about to hit the shelves. It is made of a special enhanced feel rubber that actually feels like leather. This product is by far the tackiest grip Golf Pride has ever produced so get a set on your bats and get better control and handle on your clubs. It is available in black, red and all white.

Rafael Nadal took time away from the tennis court last week to become the latest sportsperson to try their hand at golf. Part of the Nike golf team, Nadal showed up with Nike shoes, socks, tee shirt, hat and a pair of shorts robbed straight from the marooned survivors on “Lost”.

Meanwhile Tony Romo. The Dallas Cowboy’s quarterback pulled out of the Byron Nelson Championship Monday qualifier because it would have coincided with the first day of team practice. That’s commitment! Romo did play Thursday though birdieing three of last four holes and surviving a playoff to advance to sectional qualifying for next month’s U.S. Open.

Bridgestone may be familiar name in Grand Prix pit lanes but they are rapidly becoming a leading force in golf. We’ve just noticed that Bridgestone players are ranked number one on the Champions Tour, LPGA Tour and Nationwide Tour money lists. Chief among them is Fred Couples who has taken the Champions Tour by storm this year, winning three times and earning over $1 million with the Majors season still to come. Couples uses J38 Dual Pocket Cavity Back irons. The other top Bridgestone staffers are Ai Miyazato, a three time winner in 2010 on the LPGA Tour and Kevin Chappell on the Nationwide Tour.

England's Simon Khan, the World Number 471 and not even in the event until Monday, was in dreamland at Wentworth Club when he came from seven behind to win the BMW PGA Championship.

The 37 year old from Essex, who faced an uncertain future when he had to go back to The European Tour Qualifying School last November, produced the biggest final-day comeback in the history of The European Tour's flagship event.

A 20 foot birdie putt on the last, which curled round the back of the cup before toppling in, gave Khan the first prize of €750,000 by a stroke from Ryder Cup star Luke Donald and Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed.

His stunning five under par 66, the round of his life, also brings him a five-year European Tour exemption and a place in July's Open Championship at St Andrews.

"This is what I've always dreamed of doing," said Khan, whose career had fallen away since he won the 2004 Celtic Manor Wales Open and then two years later was a distant runner-up in this tournament behind David Howell.

Shaken not stirred. Robert Karlsson went from London to Paris to Monaco and back to London on his way to a course record 62 at Wentworth. The Swede was so convinced he had missed the cut at the BMW PGA Championship that he grabbed a flight from London to Nice.

Within literally yards of his front door and the welcoming arms of his wife, Karlsson asked the taxi driver to take him back to the airport, jumped on a flight to Paris and chartered a private jet leaving at 6am.

Teeing off at 8.55am, Karlsson birdied five of the first seven holes to turn in 30 and, by picking up further shots at the 12th, 14th and 16th, even had a chance of The European Tour's first 59.

Karlsson said afterwards, "Søren Hansen said at breakfast 'This trip has 63 written all over it' and I said 'Could be 83, but we'll see'.

"It feels like you definitely get a second chance. You just go out to enjoy it, but don't touch my putter - you could burn your hands."

Chi Chi Rodriguez, the club twirling, Sammy Davis Jr lookalike gave opportunistic jewel thieves more than they bargained for on Wednesday. Police estimate the three robbers made off with swag consisting of cash and jewellery was worth $500,000. The men swooped at 1.45am, tying up Chi Chi and his wife, who were uninjured.

Chi Chi’s wife was said to be particularly upset about the stolen jewellery, and wondered what Chi Chi would now wear on the course

Sources close to the robbers said they were surprised Chi Chi had so much wedge considering none of them remember him ever winning anything!

Dr. Anthony Galea, the doctor who treated Tiger Woods with "blood-spinning" therapy, has been charged by U.S. authorities with giving human growth hormone to professional football players.

The rest of Galea’s charges read like he has broken all Ten Commandments. These include lying to federal officials, smuggling, fraud, unlawful distribution of HGH, introducing actovegin to the US among others.

Maybe Dr. Galea should have stayed in The Simpsons where he famously sang "The knee bone's connected to the...something. The something's connected to the...red thing. The red thing's connected to my...wrist watch. Uh oh."

To say the last few days have been nailbiting for Ernie Els is probably understating it a little. The South African this week is in the same boat as Colin Montgomerie was when the tour came to his course at Carton House in 2006. And we all know what happened that vessel. Wasn’t Titanic a great film!

Some of the much hyped changes to Wentworth include “deepened bunkers that will force players to play out sideways”, and a “newly installed lake in front of the 18th green”. In fairness, that 18th needed something, players have been aiming for the hospitality tent down the left and getting away with free drops for years.

Critics say Ernie’s changes are out of character with the Wentworth heath, and say the heavily sand-protected greens may not hold approach shots. However these are most likely the 70 something Wentworth clique who have just realised they are not going to win every Sunday from now on.

You go girl Ernie. If in doubt say you’re “delighted” with the changes. That’s what Monty did!

Like on Facebook

Here's Where I Get My Stats

ADVERTIZE WITH GCD

Donate

Copyright

All images used is in this site are under the licences of the Irish Examiner or are the property of Donal Hughes. If you would like to use one of my what's in the bag images, no problem but please give www.golfcentraldaily.com a link.